Weight no longer: Be healthier in 2009

Andrea Zimmermann

Wednesday

Dec 31, 2008 at 12:01 AMDec 31, 2008 at 8:41 PM

Perennially, losing weight or becoming healthier appear somewhere on many Americans’ list of resolutions, and Cindy Kropid, fitness coordinator at the Springfield, Ill., YMCA, has a few tips to make you don’t become another failed statistic.

As the final seconds of 2008 fell away, what did you do?

If you are like millions of Americans, you made at least one resolution to make a change in your life in 2009.

Maybe you decided to get out from under that mountain of debt, or to learn how to play the guitar or to finally shed those pesky 10 pounds.

Those are just three of the 10 most popular resolutions Americans were likely to make this year, according to the annual survey by FranklinCovey, a worldwide organizational products company.

But the survey also found 75 percent of those who make a resolution will fail within the first three months.

Perennially, losing weight or becoming healthier appear somewhere on many Americans’ list of resolutions, and Cindy Kropid, fitness coordinator at the Springfield, Ill., YMCA, has a few tips to make you don’t become another failed statistic.

1. Be committed: Tell yourself this is something you want more than anything.

2. Be accountable: Be accountable to yourself about your fitness goals and be accountable to others. Find someone who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts.

3. Write down your mission: What is your reason for getting fit? Write it down as a constant reminder as to why you are doing this.

4. Keep a journal: Keep track of your progress. Write down workouts and caloric intake so you can see where adjustments need to be made.

5. Weigh in: Find someone you trust to weigh you on a regular basis.

6. Send a love letter to yourself: Write yourself an encouraging letter that you can read if you get discouraged.

7. Find a friend: Having a workout partner makes exercising fun and allows time to pass by quickly.

8. Make an investment: Hire a personal trainer or join a fitness facility you will actually use.

9. Keep to a schedule: Find a specific time to set aside three to five times a week to exercise.

10. Put yourself first … sometimes: Especially for busy parents, sometimes you just need to do something for yourself to be better parents to your children.

11. Hang it up: Negative situations will arise, but conquer those with positive actions.

12. Rev it up: Skipping meals can sabotage your metabolism. Eating several small meals a day will stabilize your metabolism so you can burn calories efficiently.

13. Break the fall: Old habits are hard to break. When temptation comes, remember that it takes 21 days to change a habit.

14. Bring a brown bag lunch to work: Save cash and bring lunch from home. It’s cheaper and can be much healthier.

15. Pamper yourself: Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to treat yourself to something special. Reward yourself with a bubble bath, a favorite book or a movie often.

16. Quench your thirst: A dehydrated body is not as efficient as a hydrated one. Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise. Put a lemon wedge in your water for some flavor.

17. Dump the junk: Keeping unhealthy food in the house is too tempting. Replace the junk with good snacks such as nuts and raisins.

18. Catch those Z’s: Muscle growth occurs at rest, not during exercise. Get seven to eight hours of sleep whenever possible.

19. Go natural: Eat as many natural and fresh foods as possible.

20. No pain, no gain: Being sore is part of starting a new exercise regiment. So don’t quit. Allow yourself a day or so to recoup and start again. The soreness will subside within the first few weeks of exercising.

21. Embrace your body: One size does not fit all. We are all made differently. Some people are pear-shaped, some are apple-shaped and some are hourglass-shaped. Find out what body shape you are and embrace it.

State Journal-Register

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